County Loses Last-Minute Closure Attempt

Guest Feature by Ralph McCormick, Publisher, Fly-Low Magazine

Similar to Meigs Field in Chicago, an attack on another airport has been underway since February 1999. An attempt to shorten the runway at Crested Butte (CO) in the name of 'safety' is still alive. A landowner has been in pursuit of five hundred feet of the runway to use as an entrance to a proposed subdivision-building site. The Gunnison County Commissioners have deciding control over the airport. No decision has been made, to date, to stop the encroachment or to allow the destruction of the five hundred feet of runway.

There have been lawsuits and countersuits since the first attempt. The situation is still tied up in the courts system. Carlo Cesa, current FBO owner and operator at Crested Butte said, "I still am fighting the establishment in Gunnison (CO) County. The city of Crested Butte needs an airport for emergency airlifts and for visitors. I am making every effort to see that we keep this airport alive for the community."

Crested Butte is a high altitude airport (8,980 feet above sea level) and only has a four thousand foot runway. Mountains shoot upward over three thousand feet above ground level surround the airport. If anything, the airport runway needs to be lengthened.

It as been reported that some of the individuals involved have suggested shortening the runway in order to make it safer (not sure how shortening a high altitude runway will make it safer). What seems to be happening is a developer wants to build on land near the airport and the only access to the land is over the runway.

It appears that most of the County commissioners seem to agree with the developer [the same developer who used to own the airport --ed].

Last-Minute 'Safety' Stunt by County Commissioners:

The annual Fly-In and Safety Seminar was held at Crested Butte airport on August 23rd. There were speakers from several areas of general aviation and local FSDOs attending the event. The only problem was that Gunnison County tried to apply a last minute injunction against the airport and Carlo Cesa to stop the Fly-In. The summons was issued on Friday (the day before the event) at noon. The county's six lawyers and the attorney for the airport spent Friday afternoon trying to resolve the matter.

By issuing an Emergency Temporary Restraining Order on those involved, was an attempt to shut down the fly-in. No permit was necessary for any previous Fly-In. It wasn't until Friday at noon that Carlo Cesa was aware the county wanted a permit for this event. The judge ruled that the permit for the event would be necessary, but that the event should go on. Sparky Imeson (pictured with the taller Carlo Cesa), a pilot and instructor who was attending the event, testified as a witness that it would be safer to allow the event to go on rather than having people fly in to the airport and then immediately take off and fly out. Since at that late time there was no way to notify the incoming pilots. The judge made his decision at 4 pm the day before the event. During the three-hour court proceeding, FLY-LOW Magazine was quoted many times by the attorneys for the county. They were using information in our magazine and from the website of the airport to make their case. We appreciate their readership.  It appears the Mayor Daley of Chicago doesn't have anything on the officials of Gunnison County, Colorado.

FMI: www.cbairport.org; www.fly-low.com; (Carlo Cesa 800-663-5374; eaa881@hotmail.com)